The last three days have been, for the most part, wonderful! Sunday we rented bikes (including two 2 person and one 3 person) and went for a wild ride around Er Sha Island park. It was super fun watching the kids laugh and enjoy, and watching Jade under Hunters wings on the 3 person bike! Would have been a perfect day except.... As we returned the bikes, a man selling chestnuts walked up and "accidentally" knocked Mikes bike, containing our video and still camera's in it, over... He then made a big fuss about selling us chestnuts then took off. We walked away and then Mike said, "the camera's are in the bike basket!". He ran back, but the camera's, including ALL the video footage of our trip, were gone with the chestnut man... We told everyone in the area we would pay a large reward for the memory cards and didn't need the camera's back, but no, it didn't work and all the video footage is gone. So sad! But karma will get that chestnut man! Trying to focus on how fun the day was until that point, and how much we enjoyed the Pearl River dinner cruise that night!
Yesterday was a blast! We were joined for the day by my amazing and loving childhood ayi (I lived in Hong Kong when I was little) King Lan, and her wonderful daughter Rachel. They took the train over from Hong Kong to spend the day with us. It was so so so great to spend the day with them! We headed to the Guangzhou Wildlife park and spent the entire day there. What a great place!!! The kids had so much fun.... and the adults too :) Sweet, strong, little Jade walked 75% of the 6 hour day, and was almost running by the end! Her stamina and inner strength amaze me... She REFUSES to ride in a stroller or to be carried, but enjoys shoulder rides, now her preferred mode of transport when she tires :) Last night we sat around the dinner table in our apartment and Jade was so engaged and really fit in for over an hour, I felt so much relief... I switch back and forth between gratitude and fear hourly these days.... But at the end of the day I know Jade is meant to be our daughter, and I just trust that all will be well after some good hard work all around, and then I focus on how grateful I am for this precious little soul...
It seems like just yesterday we were waiting and hoping for a 12/3 Consulate appointment, and today we had it. All went well and Jade will be a US citizen when she lands on US soil! Its been such a wonderful trip, but I am so very ready to be home.... Dreading the jet lag though!
I have to say that I am so incredibly grateful that Miss Mary and Janet joined us on this trip, I am not sure we would have survived without them! Their love and dedication to our family is something Mike and I feel so blessed to have... Mike and I are also so proud of our children, they have been super troopers. They have been flexible, had great attitudes, been incredibly helpful, and most of all have welcomed their new little sister with wide open arms and hearts! They don't see her disabilities, they are true teachers of love and acceptance....
So signing off from China! Here are a few pics of our last couple of days :)
1 comment:
Have a safe trip home!
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